1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test program debugging apparatus, a semiconductor testing apparatus, a test program debugging method, and a testing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a test program debugging apparatus and a test program debugging method for virtually executing a test program for a semiconductor testing apparatus to debug the test program, and a semiconductor testing apparatus and a testing method for executing the test program to test a device under test.
2. Description of Related Art
A semiconductor testing apparatus executes a test program for a semiconductor testing apparatus to supply a test pattern to a device under test and variously test the device under test. This test program is made up of a large number of commands prescribing a testing condition, the generation of a test pattern, the comparison of a test pattern, etc., and is made or changed in conjunction with a type of the semiconductor testing apparatus and a type of the device under test. Further, when the test program has been made or changed, it must be verified whether the test program operates normally. Thus, the verification of the test program has conventionally been performed by causing a test program debugging apparatus simulating the semiconductor testing apparatus and the device under test to execute the test program by means of a general-purpose computer such as a workstation. For example, this verification is known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-51025.
However, since the test program is made up of a large number of commands as described above, it requires an enormous amount of time to execute the test program. Moreover, the conventional test program debugging apparatus cannot execute only a part of commands included in the test program. Thus, although it is desired to verify only commands corresponding to a part of a plurality of test items and only commands to generate a part of a plurality of test patterns, all commands included in the test program must be executed. Therefore, there has been a problem that it requires an enormous amount of time to verify the test program.